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Primary education

Join our Primary Education forum to discuss starting school and helping your child get the most out of it.

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Original poster

Primary school problems

60 replies

PersisFord · 23/02/2017 12:16

I don't think anyone can help....I just need a hand hold I think! We bought our house pre DC, safe in the knowledge that it was in the catchment area of 2 great schools. Well....this year we would have been in the catchment of 1 school only and apparently the catchments are getting even smaller....and I'm worried that by the time the twins start we won't have either. And there isn't another school near us at all, there just aren't enough places for children so I don't know where they would go.

Our house was really expensive because it was in the area for these good schools. We can't move for a couple of years anyway (so would be moving them in year 1) and if we end up not being in any school catchment area we won't be able to sell our house anyway. There is a private school near which we could just afford....but it is very pushy and I'm not sure about it at all.

What do I do? I feel like crying!

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Original poster

PersisFord · 23/02/2017 13:09

That would be the situation for us - I make (just) more than private school fees for 3. Hence why we are thinking about it.

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FruitCider · 23/02/2017 13:10

Hmm... £8k a year all in for first year, so maybe £9k with uniforms etc. Might be a better solution.

FruitCider · 23/02/2017 13:11

Sorry I was so snappy. I feel really bad now!

Original poster

PersisFord · 23/02/2017 13:11

And if we were in the catchment then it wouldn't be a problem, I'm just worried that we won't be!

pie the head of the school we aren't in catchment for any more said that lots of people who would have gone to private school had instead gone to their school because it got an outstanding ofsted. Hopefully they will all change their minds again!!

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Asuitablemum · 23/02/2017 13:11

Sounds like you'll be fine with the second school. You are overthinking it. These things are rarely linear. One year they go up a bit but often next year down a bit. Though over a longer period the trend is up, it is not all in one year. Also, so much of educational achievement in primary is down to whats done at home. Do on lots of reading at home etc.

Original poster

PersisFord · 23/02/2017 13:13

Don't feel bad fruit, have some instead. It's tough for everyone. And we all love our kids.

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Original poster

PersisFord · 23/02/2017 13:14

Oh, I hope so!! It's such a nice school - not amazing ofsted but relaxed and friendly. The private school is terrifying and TBH I don't think the girls will get in anyway.

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Original poster

PersisFord · 23/02/2017 13:16

And I'm not worried about educational achievement but the failing schools are awful.....real behaviour problems, can't keep staff, lots of supply teachers, no outdoor space. Before I get told off....I know some kids will have to go there, and the answer is for the schools to be improved.

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shouldwestayorshouldwego · 23/02/2017 13:24

You will be surprised how much movement can go on between offer day and starting school. Or even afterwards. With private schools parents often do state till 8 leaving state schools at end of yr2.

Original poster

PersisFord · 23/02/2017 13:30

That's interesting. And useful to know!!

I guess....there's no point panicking. It's not for another year anyway. I'll get an idea in April when I hear where the kids round me have gone. I'll go and look round the private school with an open mind.

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Original poster

PersisFord · 23/02/2017 13:30

Private school has a cute uniform

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Tomorrowillbeachicken · 23/02/2017 13:31

The birth rates dropped after 2012 so you may be in luck tbh.

DonkeyofDoom · 23/02/2017 13:35

This was us. We didn't get anything in our neighbourhood and have ended up in private and are now trying to figure out what to do next.

If you're in London you really should sit them for more than one private school assessment. At our school we had twins where one got a place and one didn't. Or have a nonselective private school back up.

Good luck!

Original poster

PersisFord · 23/02/2017 13:38

Good advice donkey. There's a non-selective private school miles away so I'll go and look around.

I've also found a new academy a couple of miles away.....what's the deal with academies?!? It's ofsted isn't great but it's better than the alternatives.

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Original poster

PersisFord · 23/02/2017 13:38

*Its

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user1471537877 · 23/02/2017 16:21

There is one thing in your favour, with twins even if you only secure one place the school can take the other child as an excepted child

It's a small thing but if you're really at the edge of catchment it may make all the difference in your case

Original poster

PersisFord · 23/02/2017 16:34

Oh really? So if we were numbers 30 and 31 they would have to take both even if it meant there were 61 kids in the year? I thought that that was against the rules!

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Tomorrowillbeachicken · 23/02/2017 18:23

There is 31 in my DS' class for this reason.

user1471537877 · 23/02/2017 22:11

There is a specific rule in place for twins, you might find the information on the TAMBA website

But essentially yes in an intake of 30,60 or other if your first twin was placed in the final spot the second child can be accepted as an excepted child

smellyboot · 26/02/2017 11:06

Not all school in poorer areas are dire. Near us there are some fantastic schools in not such attractive areas... go visit lots before you judge them by their covers. You may well be very surprised.

Trb17 · 26/02/2017 12:05

PersisFord I know how worrying it is but if it's any consolation, we didn't think we'd get the heavily oversubscribed primary nearest to us and we did.

We didn't buy our house based on schools (naively) so I actually think you did the right thing. It needs to be down to the schools and LEA's to sort out the admission system to make it fairer, not for people to stop buying houses close to schools. In our area many of the houses close to the best schools are council estates or low value housing so go figure!

NotCitrus · 26/02/2017 12:33

The LA has to have enough places for all the children who need them. So will create a bulge class somewhere which will then ripple effect down to where you are. You'll get a school somewhere as long as you apply for your nearest 6 schools, and likely all your neighbouring children will end up in the same school. Influx of nice middle-class children from your area will improve the destination school.
Also some of the most outstanding schools are less good in practice, just good at box-ticking. There really aren't many actively bad primaries - waiting and seeing is possibly the best option.

Tomorrowillbeachicken · 26/02/2017 12:48

Not enough places in Solihull schools for Solihull children. Some end up in Birmingham or Warwickshire schools.

Original poster

PersisFord · 26/02/2017 16:29

I totally agree about the best ofsted schools being not necessarily the greatest, and the one we are still currently in the catchment for doesn't get a great report, but the things I like about it are very enthusiastic teachers, good outdoor space and quite a relaxed attitude to twins sometimes having to duck into each other's classes in reception for some moral support. Really a laid back school. The other gets great results but IMO is a bit pushy and inflexible. The private school is also like that.

The one I really don't want them to go to has no outside space at all and a terrible ofsted where one of the main criticisms was that teachers don't expect these children to go on to achieve anything in their educations or something like that. I'm from a family of teachers so I'm confident that I can get them up to speed academically but what I want from their school is for them o learn to sit quietly, do what they are told, make friends and generally engage with education. When I looked round none of that seemed to be happening and friends who have looked round say the same. I don't know anyone who is prepared to send their kids there. I guess after such a terrible ofsted there must be some measures in place and I will look round again nearer the time....but it would have to have changed a lot for me to consider it.

We only get to apply for 3 schools. So I was going to apply for the 2 nearest then I will have to think of an option 3. There are other good schools nearby but they are also v oversubscribed so putting one of them down seems like a waste. I don't know whether to put a faith school.

A new private school is opening this September so I will look at that. And this academy that I found - it isn't that close but was undersubscribed and after a dismal ofsted has just got a "good" with some positive comments. It is in an area with quite significant social deprivation and also a lot of kids who don't speak any English when they come to school, and I think it would do my 2 good to live a bit in the real world and maybe teach them some lessons about life they wouldn't get at our posh little primaries. But then I feel like I'm gambling with their education and I should just suck it up and send them to private school.

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smellyboot · 26/02/2017 16:40

Go look at the academy. My DC benefit massively from a very mixed (in all ways) community school. Diversity can be very healthy

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